DC noise-pop outfit The Sea Life share self-titled new album: Stream

Washington band's new full-length wrestles with the complacency of boredom

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As society and technology continue to blaze towards new horizons, it seems that the Self is an unwitting victim of progress. Modern conveniences mean the need to actually leave the couch has been minimized to making sure Alexa is plugged in so you can call out for food delivery, the latest movie, or do your online shopping. It’s far to easy to become complacent when everything is literally at your fingertips, but that can leave you bored with a feeling of discontentment. It’s that state of being that The Sea Life attempt to shake themselves out of on their new self-titled record.

Out May 26th via Babe City Records, The Sea Life finds the Washington, DC noise-pop outfit weaving optimism into disillusionment. As the band’s lead guitarist and singer-songwriter Jon Weiss explains,

“One of the lines from ‘Reaper’, ‘boredom warms you like a thick coat,’ is a good summary of this idea — the content nothing-ness bringing immediate comfort. To me boredom is this deep void of depression that keeps you away from productively, and ultimately happiness. When you work a job you’re not passionate about and bring home a paycheck and pay your rent and eat your groceries, you aren’t leaving any impression or impact on anything lasting. Remembering to work towards the things you care about — the things that ultimately drive you — is the only real escape from this cycle. And for all of us, this is the reason we’re still here.”

With draining bass lines and distorted guitars aplenty, The Sea Life strive to uncover this reason over 10 tracks. They shriek at the dazed on “Red Eyes” (“Will you take it to your grave?/ ‘Cause you’re fading and its a shame/ That you’re trading your passion for a paycheck”) and struggle with their own self-awareness on “Blame” (“Is this the real me?/ I’m not alone/ I’m not the same”). There’s the surprisingly bright-hued take on self-medication that makes up “Compensation” and the dizzying ode that is “David Bowie”. But for all that desire to be stirred from immobility (as “Daymare” puts it, “Shake my hand/ Shake my whole life too”), there’s the hopeful undercurrent that all this is temporary, and great things are only a little bit of effort away.

Take a listen to the entire album below.

Pre-orders for The Sea Lifeare available here in the US and here in the UK.